Happy Monday everyone. I hope all of you North Dakotans made it home safe and warm after the crazy weather that hit our great state on Friday. Because as I was telling my dramatic story about the mis-adventures of a potentially one-eyed pug while safe in the walls of this little house, the wind was whipping snow across a landscape freshly coated with ice, shaking the trees and making me bite my nails thinking about husband out on the road.
I couldn’t see my barn, blinded by the wall of white in what I am sure, now that we are out of it, was the worst storm of the season. Friends and neighbors who had braved the much calmer morning weather to get to work, events, the grocery store, meetings and neighboring towns, were blindsided by how quickly the wind picked up leaving many of them stranded in office buildings, interstates, county roads, gravel roads, churches, welcoming strangers’ homes, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and community buildings.
As the wind screamed over the prairie, over 800 people were being rescued off of the roads by the National Guard and rescue workers with big trucks and snow machines. But miraculously and thankfully, when all was said and done, according the Bismarck Tribune, there were no related deaths from cold or traffic accidents, husband and pops made it home safely and we were greeted the next morning with sunshine and a promise of warmer weather.
In true North Dakota fashion.
And while I was thinking about my stranded friends who were updating friends and family about the low-visability and utter amazement about the conditions with light-hearted Facebook postings, texts, video clips and phone calls, my thoughts were with them out there amid that adventure…
and those suffering from the devastating results of the earthquakes and Tsunami in Japan as I watched the heart wrenching events play out before me on the news.
Because it’s times like these you are slammed in the face with how little control humans have over the world. We can build our bridges and sky-scrapers, update our technology, drive the fastest car and continue the advancement of medicine, but Mother Nature, in all of her awe and glory can bring us the highest highs only to slam us with the most desperate of situations. And over everything else humans are capable of accomplishing– building, inventing, developing, progress– in the end our most invaluable traits continue to be human kindness, generosity, resilience and our ability to heal and help and believe in times like these.
So that being said, in honor of this beautiful day given to us in the calm after the storm, I would like to share with you some exciting news. Because this great state, with the people who brave the storm to help weary travelers and welcome strangers into their homes during a blizzard, have welcomed me and my stories into their homes as well through the radio waves. Yup, excerpts from “Meanwhile, back at the ranch…,” read by Yours Truly in all of my northern accent glory, will be featured on Prairie Public Radio a few times a month.
You can listen in your car, or on your radio at home if you are in the area. But you can also listen online at www.prairiepublic.org
My first reading, “The ghosts of winters past”, aired last week. And despite my re-recording it approximately six-thousand times to accommodate for the swearing and “uuugggghhhss and oooohhhhsss” each time I slipped up while holding on to hope that my voice would change from a thirteen-year-old with an uncontrollable northern accent to that of a sophisticated female radio commentator, I think it turned out ok…at least that is what my relatives told me.
Because that’s what relatives have to tell you about things like this.
I wouldn’t know because I can’t bring myself to listen to it even one more time.
Anyway, you can judge for yourself by listening to it here at “Hear it Now”.
And now that my voice is back, I am prepared to return to the ruthless radio voice recording ring once again and I would love your feedback and suggestions on what stories you would like to hear me read on the radio. Any favorites in the archives? Anything you would like me to talk about that I haven’t yet? Send me an email or leave a comment and let me know.
What a great little adventure, thanks Prairie Public for the opportunity. And thank you all for your support. I feel so fortunate to be from an area that encourages its people and welcomes their thoughts and art and music into their lives. And I am feeling blessed that I am here, safe and warm, surrounded by the people I love in all of this dramatic, unpredictable, beauty…
…with a voice to tell you I love you, feeling like that needs to be said today…
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... 
OOH, I was so worried about you people out in ND. We had a storm like that a few weeks ago, but, the biggest danger is someone getting beat up over a parking space they’d just shoveled out. Glad you’re all OK.
Yup, we all made it, resilient NDers. Now we are enjoying the thaw!
Well written Jessie and so true for the most about the human spirit and kindness towards others..I was flipping through channels, I saw Dr. W. Dyer talking about how we all should live as authentically as possible and help those who need it. Take care and have a blessed week(w/o any more mishaps). Hugs. Nicole
Yes Nicole, live authentically. I love that!
A funny thing this world is, even though I don’t know you and we’ve never met, I thought of you all weekend, hoping your and yours were safe. (Those stranded 800 made news on the AP and instantly connected you to me.) I was thinking just this morning how all these ‘strangers’ on my blog roll, or facebook are my family in some way. We care about them, their ups and downs. We cry with them, laugh with them and rejoice when good things happen to them. We pray for them, and if they are ever in our neck of the woods, they (plus pets) have a place to spend the night and a warm meal waiting for them. Love your blog, your photos and the part of you that you are willing to share with the rest of the world.
Thanks so much for thinking of us here in the great white north! We all made it through that scary blizzard and that is a blessing.
And yes, Isn’t it wonderful how our stories connect us? We may have never met in person, but the way we share and support one another here through words is what a friendship is about isn’t it? Thank you for your “cyber-support!” and enjoy your spring at the Homestead!
These photos make it look like you’re the only person for miles and miles, except for that pilot screaming across the sky in that last photo.
Haha, Posky. That is a good point. Here I am talking about how we all need to stick together and help one another and then I accompany that thought with pictures that make it appear nobody lives here 🙂 Funny thing, most of these photos were taken along one of the busiest highways in the state, running right through farmyards and badlands and fields.
Of course my sappy self would love to hear you read any of the blogs about G & G ‘s house and the Kitten Kaboodle Klub, but I think one of my new faves is your Schwann’s Man Incident.
And even though I am your relative and am thereby required to say nice things about your broadcast, I am also a former radio personality and know a thing or two about ‘the biz’ and you did GREAT so shut it. 🙂 Loves!
Thanks shan. That means a lot to me coming from such a radio talent like yourself. Seriously, I should hire you to read them for me. You’ve always had such poise and control over your voice…always thought you would be perfect for Broadway or TV or Movies!
Oh, now that is so cool! I’m glad I can hear it online cuz I would have felt like i was missing out. your stories are fun. Thanks
Thanks Lissa! Reading what I wrote out loud in a microphone is definitely a new experience. I have decided singing is so so so much easier! Hope all is well today and the sun is shining. I think of you when I get an itch to ride…so jealous you ride all year. Soon the snow will be melted enough and then I’m out there!
I thought about you last Friday, Jessie. The howling wind and zero visibility here in Bismarck made me want to go to bed and pull the covers over my head until spring. Glad you and yours are OK.
Oh, it seems like such a long time ago, that terrible storm, doesn’t it? These weather patterns we get here in ND in the spring are so bipolar–really keeps us on our toes. But I must say, I am welcoming spring like never before this year! Glad you survived the blizzard!
That’s awesome about your radio commentaries! Love your North Dakota winterscapes..
Thanks linnea. Hopefully the winterscapes are a thing of the past around here. Bring on the spring-scapes 🙂
most beautiful pictures…so comforting; makes me a proud North Dakotan